Chapter 198: Testing 1, 2, 3

Suncreek Villa headquarters.

The halls were thronging with resonance artificers, but they were clearly divided into two halves. On the left, the Suncreek Villa headquarters' personnel. On the right, the Xiling artificers led by Tang Yun and Lu Xiaofeng.

The original members were looking at Tang Yun's bunch with anger.

They knew what had happened at the gates.

These were obviously Pei Hao's people. How dare they come here and shamelessly demand the secret watersource! This was daylight robbery!

In their righteous anger, they forgot that some among their own number had once been Pei Hao supporters as well.

At this time, they had already forgotten that.

Who was Pei Hao?

A poisonous, narrow-minded presence, leading them down into the darkness. Thankfully, the Young Lord had saved them.

There is only the Young Lord in our hearts!

And his secret watersource!

Tang Yun's group shifted uneasily under the glares, but there was nothing much they could say. They feigned nonchalance, their desire for the secret watersource keeping them there.

Li Luo stood on the stage in front, Jiang Qing'e and Cai Wei behind him.

He smiled at the resonance artificers who had been with him so far. "Everyone, please. Have no discrimination for our Xiling colleagues. In my eyes, they once contributed to the Suncreek Villa."

Tang Yun, Lu Xiaofeng, and the others were looking a little less sure of themselves now. Li Luo seemed like a very generous person. The Xiling branch had been branded with Pei Hao's mark and was more or less a slap to Li Luo's face.

Yet he seemed to bear them no ill will, no forceful treatment, and had not even expelled them from the Suncreek Villa. Instead, he had made concessions, inviting them into headquarters and promising to provide them with the secret watersource.

They... felt a little ashamed.

"Hmph, Tang Yun looks well. The Young Lord treats you with full respect and kindness. You had better repay it." Elder Zheng Ping scowled.

Tang Yun and the others smiled with uncertainty.

What else could be said at this time?

They were indeed grateful, but... they were still Pei Hao's people.

"In this month, the Suncreek Villa headquarters has performed extremely well. I have to thank everybody. We lost much after Hanzhi shook things up, but that's all water under the bridge now. I believe the Suncreek Villa will once again become great.

"My goal is to make the Suncreek Villa one of the top ten villas in the Xia Kingdom. At that time, all of you will be esteemed and famous resonance artificers!" Li Luo stated compellingly.

The headquarters' resonance artificers responded enthusiastically. They had all seen the changes at the Suncreek Villa in the last month with their own eyes. And they knew very well that Li Luo was the source of these changes.

Although the Suncreek Villa had a long way to go to reach that goal, they were sure that under the Young Lord's leadership, they would get there. After all, he had already worked miracles before their eyes.

And when the Suncreek Villa reached that glory, their own status and compensation would inflate beyond their dreams.

Definitely something anyone would work towards.

Tang Yun and the others felt a pang of envy for these resonance artificers. They did not know if Li Luo was speaking the truth, but they were words of hope.

As for them, from the Xiling Province, the progress there had been lukewarm. Pei Hao was merely treating the branch as a gold generator.

They knew that there was no chance of the Xiling branch having a bright future.

On stage, Cai Wei chuckled quietly to Jiang Qing'e. "The Young Lord is getting very experienced at playing people's hearts."

"He's starting to wear that role with confidence." Jiang Qing'e agreed contentedly.

Only a confident person could convince others. The belief that he could do it—it was a powerful magnet for hopes and dreams.

In the cheery atmosphere, Tang Yun and the others were feeling more and more uncomfortable by the moment. He coughed. "Er, Young Lord, I wonder, when we can start refining spirit liquids and purifying lights?"

Li Luo smiled. "No need to worry. Your refining time will not differ from the headquarters' resonance artificers. Elder Zheng Ping will assign you spaces."

"And... Will wel have ample amounts of the secret watersource?" Lu Xiaofeng asked hesitantly.

Li Luo nodded. "The same supply as the other resonance artificers. No difference."

The branch artificers sighed in relief. That was all they wanted. If Li Luo simply wanted to use them as labor for this month, that was easy as could be.

"One more thing..."

Tang Yun bit the bullet. "Young Lord mentioned a test. How is that conducted?"

They were afraid that he had laid a trap there.

Jiang Qing'e and Cai Wei were curious as well. It was the most important point left unaddressed.

Once Tang Yun and the others passed the test, Li Luo would have to supply them with secret watersource in the future. If he made it too difficult, everyone would know he was just toying with them. He would not win them over.

All eyes on him, Li Luo smiled calmly. "I just mentioned the test off-hand...

"But just to reassure everyone, perhaps I'd better explain clearly.

"The test is very simple. You all know that I'm a water resonance user, and also a second-grade resonance artificer myself. I'm trying to reach the third grade though...

"In this one month, you may send any resonance artificers, including your branch leaders Tang Yun and Lu Xiaofeng, to compete against me. We will refine spirit liquids and purifying lights. But because of my grade, it's limited to third-grade spirit liquids and below.

"We will compete in three rounds, a first-grade, a second-grade, and a third-grade spirit liquid. Same ingredients, and, crucially, no secret watersource.

"As long as you can beat me in just one round, you will have passed the test."

Li Luo beamed at them with a confident and friendly smile.

"What do you guys think of that?"

Tang Yun and Lu Xiaofeng looked at each other. "We can join too?" they asked incredulously.

They were fourth-grade resonance artificers. Even though the product was limited to third-grade and below, their experience would definitely help improve the tempering strength of the more basic potions significantly.

And they only had to win once?

Whether Li Luo could even succeed in refining a third-grade spirit liquid was up in the air. How was he going to compete? Immediately declare them the winner?

Was Li Luo really just lying down and letting them walk over him?

Tang Yun and Lu Xiaofeng were very confused now. They looked at Li Luo's beaming face again. “Young Lord, perhaps we were wrong... are you actually very stupid?”